Rebuild of Evangelion: 05 plus 03 - You Can Redo
by Fyrstorm
Summary: After Rei's attempt to steal Shinji away fails, it's up to Misato to find a way to get information from the boy. But she doesn't know of anyone who doesn't harbor some resentment towards Shinji to try talking with him... except, perhaps, for a certain unorthodox brunette. Currently undergoing a rewrite!
1. Chapter 1

**Rebuild of Evangelion:**

 **Five+Three**

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[CHAPTER 01]

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 _\- AAA Wunder, starboard flank_.

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The Evangelion stared down Shinji, mechanical eye riveted on him. The synthesized voice came again from its speakers.

 _"Ikari, come with me."_

It was her. It really was her. Rei and Unit-00. Shinji took a step forwards…

"Don't do it, Shinji!"

The snarl cut the air like a knife. Shinji turned, to see a ragged Misato, arm raised up. The remote in her hand flashed, hologram blinking. The remote connected to the bomb on his neck.

Shinji's eyes narrowed.

"What was that, Misato? I thought you said you didn't need me anymore!"

"No, but we will ensure your safety!"

Outside, something roared. A heavy shell slammed into the back of the Eva's helmet, causing the pupil to shrink to a pinprick. Cannon fire splashed along the unit's back, but the orange cyborg didn't so much as flinch.

Shinji's eyes widened as his fellow pilot was assaulted, pelted with rounds from the floating battleship. He whirled back to the angry Misato, fists clenched by his sides.

"Stop it! Don't you realize that's an Eva you're firing at?!"

Misato's face contorted with emotion, before she spat out a reply.

"Of course! We'll obliterate every last one of Nerv's Evas!"

The boy paused.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. "Isn't _this_ a branch of Nerv?!"

"No!" the woman answered. "We are _Wille_ , an organization dedicated to destroying Nerv! Now, get away from that thing!"

 _"Ikari…"_ Unit-00 said, stretching its fingers wider, shifting its hand closer to the boy. _"Come with me."_

[-]

 _"Four-eyed crony, take it down!"_ Asuka's angry voice snapped, harsh through the plug saddle's radio. The walls warped, light pulsing across them as activation began.

A pair of blue eyes flashed, interspersed flecks of green gleaming playfully.

"Not a problem, Princess! Eva Unit-08, let's go!"

[-]

Shinji had enough.

The boy's arms were stiff at his side, his posture that of a defiant child. He'd had questions, wanted explanations, but nobody had given him straight answers. And now a completely different Misato was making outrageous claims, threatening to kill him, and demanding that he surrender himself to this… Wille?! Just what the hell was going on?!

Glaring at the woman he thought he'd known, Shinji stalked over to Unit-00's hand. He placed a foot on the giant palm.

"Don't do it!" Misato's finger moved off the guard, and rested against the trigger. Her thumb moved, readying to flick off the cap to the second trigger on the choker's remote.

"Or _what_ , Misato? You'll _kill me?!"_ Shinji snapped.

Misato didn't answer, the words just not coming for her. Shinji huffed, shifting his balance over the Eva's hand more.

"...I'm out of here."

His leg lifted…

[-]

"Hi-yah!"

The candy-pink cyborg squeezed the trigger, sending a heavy shell spinning towards the orange Eva's back! The bullet punctured its armour, throwing cracks up and down the plate as blood sprayed from the wound.

'Unit-00' shook, a keening cry escaping its helm! The three tendrils affixed around its yoke lashed, denting and slicing the _Wunder's_ hull. Inside Unit-08, the brunette grinned.

"Take that, jackass!"

[-]

When Unit-00 screamed, Shinji nearly lost his balance, as the massive hand convulsed, its fingers reflexively clenching shut!

"Mr. Ikari!"

A pair of arms wrapped around his ribs, dragging him off before the open palm closed into a tight fist! Shinji's eyes widened, locked on the clenched fist, even as it began to unravel again.

"T-that… I… I could have…"

"You _really_ have to be more careful, Mr. Ikari," the voice said, awash with concern. Shinji glanced behind him, catching view of Sakura Suzuhara, holding onto him. Then a grinding and creaking sound grabs back their attention.

Unit-00's eye tracks away from the breach, focusing on something. Its left hand remains jammed through the hull, though it's slowly being dragged out, catching on the metal. Something's managed to have an effect on it.

There's a click as the Eva's speakers shut off, its pilot communing with someone else. Shinji's eyes flick down to the still open palm, then across to Misato and Ritsuko, then back to Sakura, and finally to Unit-00's head again.

 _What's it looking at?..._

[-]

 _Now I've got your attention, mm? Let's see what it takes to make you do something about it._ Mari thought, charging forwards. The umbilical cable had already detached, flailing in the wind before it had retracted to safety. Unit-08 kept her gun up, and pumped the trigger twice!

The twin rounds flew true, one shattering the remains of the Eva's AT Field- Thank you _for the neutralizing,_ Wunder! Mari thought- while the other struck the softer flesh of the Eva's throat. The orange cyborg keened again, yanking out its left arm as chunks of brown meat and blood splattered against the hull of the cybernetic vessel.

[-]

And like that, it was gone. Shinji's chance at escape had abandoned him, fluids pouring from the gaping wound in its throat. But Unit-00 wasn't running, he realized, watching the being's pupil shrink to a furious pinprick. The orange cyborg was actually going to _fight_. And he was about to be caught right in the middle of it.

The last time he'd seen Unit-00 in a fight, it'd been taking on the Tenth Angel. If Nerv had fixed it after its destruction… who knew what it would be capable of?

"M-mister Ikari…" Sakura began. "I think it _might_ be a good idea to get away from the breach."

Shinji nodded dumbly, letting himself be pulled back by the girl. Despite the tunnel-vision-focus he had, he noticed Misato lowering the remote to her side while she stepped back.

Unit-00 bared its fingers like talons, tendrils whipping around from the bulky backpack it wore…

The Eva pounced.

[-]

As soon as the Eva moved, Mari knew she was in the clear. She didn't have to worry about accidentally hitting anybody important with a stray shot.

It was just her and her opponent.

The orange cyborg moved like a blur, closing in no time at all! A gunmetal blur slammed into the side of its head, throwing the Eva down towards the _Wunder's_ wing joint. Unit-08 hefted its pistol, shaking its arm out from the heavy blow.

"How'd you like _that_ , 'Champion'?" Mari mocked, drawing the weapon up again. As the software locked on, the brunette glanced at her timer. Five-and-a-half minutes left in the seven-minute battery; plenty of time to take down the troublesome Eva.

The other Eva's fingers punched through the _Wunder's_ hull, slowing its descent to a halt. Its tendrils whipped, before closing up into a single shape, sprouting fins and nozzles.

"What?! That's not fair!" Mari complained, taking the shot. Still neutralized by the _Wunder's_ AT Field, the orange Eva took the bullet straight in its face, writhing as its helmet shattered. The mechanical eye fell out, bouncing along the vessel's hull before dropping off the edge- but it still seemed like the wounds only annoyed the Eva.

 _Crap! What the hell's this thing_ made _of?!_ Mari gritted her teeth. This damned persistency was starting to piss her off.

"Why the hell won't you just _die_ alread-"

The cyborg didn't give her time to reply, rocketing forwards just as Mari shouted. A second later, her foe drove their shoulder into her Unit's collarbone, smashing the pink Eva against the ship. Mari coughed and hacked, trying to prop herself back up with an elbow.

The wounded cyborg was getting away.

"Oi! Get back here, y-you! I-I'm not done with you just-" Mari broke off into another cough. "-just yet..." Too late. Her foe was a fleck of orange in the distance… and soon, it wasn't even _that_.

Mari groaned, and began the slow climb back to her Eva's hanger bay.

[-]

 _"Sir, I have failed. Ikari could not be collected."_

 _"No matter. We can always try again. Wille's Ark isn't as sturdy as they think it is. For now, return to headquarters."_

 _"Yes, sir."_

[-]

Shinji sat on a chunk of rubble, staring out the breach, all the anger drained from him. He'd seen most of it- seen Unit-00 charge the pink Eva, seen it be knocked down, seen the pink Eva fire several shots… and seen Unit-00 knock it out of the way dismissively as it escaped on a massive rocket pack. She hadn't even stopped to pick him up…

"Rei…" the boy muttered, slumping slightly.

He'd… he'd saved her, hadn't he? Then why would she just _leave_ him? Maybe her Eva was too damaged… except for the way it'd looked after getting its throat shot out by the pink one… it looked _angry_. Other than that time he'd insulted his father, Shinji couldn't remember the last time he'd thought of Rei as _angry_.

Shinji sighted. Everything was a mess. Fourteen years had passed, the world had changed immensely, and the only thing he could seem to get from people was their hatred.

 _Well, most people_ , he thought, glancing over to his side, where Sakura sat. _She_ at least didn't seem to hate him, even if everyone else did.

"Lieutenant."

The voice quivered for a second, before solidifying. Shinji and Sakura looked over to the source; a weary, battered Misato, remote held loosely in her hand.

"Yes ma'am?" Sakura asked.

"Bring Shinji Ikari to his new quarters. I'll be on the bridge."

"Yes, Colonel!" The girl saluted, standing back up.

Misato turned, and walked off, Ritsuko following behind her. Sakura relaxed, and put a hand on Shinji's arm.

"Come on, Mr. Ikari," the girl said with a hopeful smile. "Let's get you set up here."

The Third Child stood, bring a hand up to rub his head. Slowly, the two began to walk, heading the other direction from the breach.

"S-Sakura?" Shinji asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Do you think you could give me some straight answers? I… There's some things I _really_ need to know."

Sakura smiled.

"I'd be happy to help."

.

[END OF CHAPTER 01]


	2. Chapter 2

**Rebuild of Evangelion:**

 **Five+Three**

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[CHAPTER 02]

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\- _AAA Wunder, internal corridors_.

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Misato stalked down the hallway, broken glasses discarded, remote deactivated and shoved into a pocket.

"You know, standard procedure isn't going to work on him," Ritsuko said. " _Especially_ not when you keep having doubts around him." Misato glared back at her, eyes narrowed.

"Then how _else_ are we supposed to figure anything out? Ask him nicely?" the woman scoffed at the remark.

 _As if,_ she thought. _I know what I'm doing is for everyone's good, but Shinji… Shinji won't even think of me as Misato. He'll see me just as someone else who hates him…_

"...I doubt that'd work," she muttered.

"It might."

The Colonel paused, and raised an eyebrow, inviting Ritsuko to explain just _what_ she had meant by that.

"If we have someone he connects with try to break down his barriers…"

"Like _who_ , Ritsuko? Myself? Asuka?" Misato sighed. "I doubt we have _anyone_ who doesn't have _some_ grudge against him that'll cloud their judgement."

There was no talking for several minutes, the only sounds in the corridor the noise of the _Wunder_ itself and the clomping of their boots.

Finally, Ritsuko made her reply.

"Even so, there's no harm in trying to find someone. If it does succeed, we may actually have a chance at this, Colonel."

"... Fine," Misato sighed. "Try it, and report back afterwards."

"Yes, Colonel."

The two reached an intersection in the vessel's corridors, where they would finally split. With a silent nod, Misato continued forwards, while Ritsuko took another path. While they might have to work in the same room most of the time, there were just some things that their jobs demanded they do alone...

[-]

 _\- AAA Wunder, Starboard Quarters._

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It wasn't particularly uncomfortable, he supposed. There were plenty of places that would be worse than the room he'd been assigned to. Like the brig, for example.

Shinji sat on the plain bed, listening patiently to Sakura's explanation. It was a lot to take in, and each sentence wore down his hopes. While he'd been in Unit-01… so much had changed. The world was ruined, a shell of its former self. Over half the Earth's surface was covered in sterile, lifeless red, both land and sea- the only escaping areas being in western Europe, which weren't in much better shape. The Third Impact had practically caused humanity's extinction...

All because he'd wanted to save someone.

.

All because he'd wanted to save Rei.

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"I… I can't believe it," he sighed, wilting into the bed. "I'd never wanted… never wanted _this_."

Sakura tried to sympathize… but Shinji'd had enough. He'd wanted an explanation, and he'd gotten quite a bit… but it wasn't the answer he wanted. As politely as his fraying nerves could manage, the former Third Child weakly asked for her to leave.

As soon as she'd left, Shinji collapsed onto his back.

 _This day can't possibly get worse_ , he thought.

And for once since he'd woken up, he'd been right about it.

[-]

Sleep was merciful to Shinji.

.

There were no nightmares, no terrors. Nothing ran him through, or blamed him, or brought him down. There weren't even any real dreams for him. All he was given was a senseless, grey void.

.

But that was good enough for him.

[-]

It was what felt like early morning when Shinji recovered awareness. Brushing aside the lingering haze of sleep, Shinji made for the closet- only to find a plain wall.

 _That's odd, I could have sworn that the guest room's closet was here…_

Confused, Shinji turned, to see if he could spot the closet elsewhere.

The remainder of the room was left out for him. The boy blinked, not sure what to make of-

Over there, on the door. A blue and white stylized 'w'.

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Wille.

The sight of _that_ jogged his memory; waking up, the people being so different, the 14-year gap, the _Wunder_ , the appearance of the regenerated Unit-00, the pink eva that had fought it off, the ruined world that sat beneath his feet… all of it, back in an instant.

.

Shinji was still standing there, frozen in shock, when there was a knock at his door.

"...Mr. Ikari?" Sakura asked from the other side. "It's time to get up"

Eyes wide, the boy looked around hurriedly, trying to find some clothes.

"I- j-just a minute, Suzuhara-san!"

A small storage cupboard proved to have the answer to his plight. It wasn't large or deep by any means, but right now Shinji didn't care. He grabbed a few items of plain clothing, each emblazoned with that 'w', and pulled them on.

Thus clothed, the boy sighed with relief, and moved to open the door. As expected, Sakura was waiting for him.

"G-good morning, Suzuhara-san," Shinji said, giving a quick bow of respect to the young woman.

"Good morning, Mr. Ikari," she replied, returning the gesture. "How are you feeling today?"

Shinji opens his mouth to reply, but a slight hum from his throat draws his attention, reminding him just what's around his neck.

"I… could be better," the tone comes out dejected, the boy's focus all too clearly on the explosive choker. Sakura's own eyes trace to focus on it, at least for a few seconds.

"...Well, maybe you'll feel better with some breakfast?" she suggested.

Shinji just shrugged. Given that he hadn't eaten in fourteen years, getting something to eat couldn't hurt.

"It's… worth a shot."

[-]

Fortunately for Shinji, the pair's entrance into the mess hall was worryless. Nobody stopped them, or paused to give a death glare to the boy- most of the Wille staff were simply focused on their meals. The dispensers were autonomous- Sakura had told him that it was supposed to save manpower- so human interaction wasn't a problem.

Tray in hand, the former Third Child followed Sakura to a bench on the outskirts of the hall, out of the way from anything.

.

The meal itself was nothing too pretty… but it could easily be worse, and nobody else seemed to have any issues with it. He guessed that it-

"My, my! If it isn't our little puppy!"

Shinji froze, spoon half-stuck in a patch of reddish sludge. He _knew_ that voice. He'd heard it before, on two different occasions.

 _H-her?!_

The former Third Child looked over cautiously, eyes mixed with an interesting combination of fear and curiosity. The girl was there, almost the same as she'd looked fourteen years ago. Same cheerful grin, same twin-tailed hairstyle, same hungry eyes.

"Hello?..."

"I- Lieutenant Illustrious!" Sakura exclaimed, a little surprised. The bespectacled young woman just giggled, crashing down onto the bench beside Shinji with a grin splitting her face.

"Aw, Sakura, c'mon. I told ya that just 'Mari' is fine," she replied teasingly.

Mari's eyes flicked over to the boy, glinting mischievously.

" _You_ can call me Mari too, puppy," the young woman purred, the sheer casualty of the action catching him off guard.

"I- well- er…"

" _Mari!_ " Sakura accosted. "Stop teasing him, he's had enough to deal with."

"Oh, hush. I didn't mean any harm." The girl waved a hand nonchalantly, looking away from the two. "Just checking out the new meat. I'll leave him be. For now." With that, Mari rocked to her feet, and looked back for a moment.

"See you later, pups!" she grinned, before strolling off. Sakura sighed.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Ikari. Lieutenant Ill… _Mari_ is really friendly, but she can be a little bit… well, overwhelming."

"It's… it's fine," the boy replied, brushing it off.

Now that it seemed like he _didn't_ have to interact with someone whom he both didn't know and found a little bit… confusing, Shinji could turn back to his previous task. He raised the spoon of red slop back to his mouth…

... only to find that the food- whatever it was- was _cold_. Great.

[-]

Breakfast was done. It wasn't the best, but Shinji was perfectly fine with mediocre for now. He didn't want to deal with any crazy outliers; just to get used to everything. Maybe _then_ he could finally figure out what to do with himself in this crazy, new world.

.

Given how everything had been peaking at 'average', he could probably be forgiven for doubting this.

[-]

Misato heard the door open behind her.

"What is it?" she asked, glancing into the mirrored section on the inner tips of her new glasses.

Ritsuko entered.

"Mari's made contact," she reported. "Results were… well, expected." Misato scoffed.

"Which is to say she's been just as poor at social activity as before? Uncanny valley and all that?"

Ritsuko sighed.

"Admittedly, Mari hasn't grown up nearly as much as the rest of us have, thanks to the Curse of Eva. But, on the other hand, it didn't seem like she had any real aggression towards him... in fact, she was strangely casual, despite apparently not having met him before- or at least, she never told us anything about meeting him before."

"So, _she's_ our best bet?" Misato asked, finally turning around. Ritsuko shrugged.

"Lieutenant Suzuhara may have a good heart, but she's not a good liar. Ulterior motives wouldn't work out well. For now, we'll see if Mari can manage."

.

"Alright then," Misato said. "You have my permission to continue."

.

[END OF CHAPTER 02]


End file.
